Apparatus for automatically cleaning toilet seats

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for automatically cleaning a toilet seat, which includes a cleaning unit equipped with brushes and wiping means and adapted to be folded toward and away from the toilet bowl, the cleaning unit being adapted to spray cleaning fluid and disinfectant upon the toilet seat and by means of the cleaning unit to clean the toilet seat and wiping the same dry.

United States Patent Haberle Sept. 24, 1974 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY3,599,246 8/1971 Brannati 4/233 CLEANING TOILET SEATS FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS Inventor: Walter Haberle, 6368 Bad i 923,222 4/1963 GreatBritain 4/233 Germany 510,241 10/1930 Germany 4/233 1,939,542 2/1971Germany 4/233 [22] 1972 283,975 3 1931 Italy 4 233 21 AppL 294 442409,911 7/1923 Germany 4/233 685,969 7/1930 France Foreign ApplicationPriority Dam Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Oct. 1, 1971 Germany2149097 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Walter Becker [52] US. Cl. 4/233, 4/22257 ST C [51] Int. Cl A47k 13/00 A t f a l 58 Field of Search 4/233, 222,237, 242; P 91110919116 c efmmg which 1ncludes a cleaning un1t equippedwith brushes 15/256 5 and wiping means and adapted to be folded toward dawa from the toilet bowl, the cleaning unit being [56] References Citedan y adapted to spray cleamng flllld and d1s1nfectant upon UNITED STATESPATENTS the teiiet seat and by means of the C Ieaning unit to :01'1'4/233 clean the toilet eat and the same otter et a 3,231,293 1/1966Loustaunau l5/256.5 x 16 Clams, 8 Drawmg Figures 9 1 "H1 1 2 2O 21 3 181 1 1 1 33 x1 I 13 I\ 28 z 22 24 17 PAIENlEnswzmu I v 3.837. 018

sum 1 or 4 PArsman z zm 3.837. 018

sum u on f APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING TOILET SEATS The presentinvention relates to an apparatus for automatically cleaning toiletseats which is particularly suited for public rest rooms, rest rooms inrestaurants, filling stations, and the like, where no personnel isavailable for a continuous servicing of the toilets.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning apparatusas set forth above which will make it possible to the user of the restroom, prior to or after use of the toilet, to initiate an automaticcleaning of the toilet seat without in any way contacting the cleaningmeans.

This object and other objects and advantages of the invention willappear more clearly from the following specification in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a toilet body with installed cleaning deviceaccording to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the cleaning device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the toilet body with upwardly folded cleaning deviceaccording to the invention FIG. 4 shows a toilet body equipped with thecleaning device according to the invention with the toilet seat foldedupwardly.

FIG. 5 shows a toilet body equipped with a cleaning device according tothe invention and with an upwardly folded lower section designed asrun-off pan.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section through a cleaning device according tothe invention with rotating brushes and reversibly arranged wipers.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section through a cleaning device according tothe invention in which the brushes and the wipers are rotatable by meansof friction discs.

FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of the camdisc shown in FIG. 7.

The cleaning device according to the present invention is characterizedprimarily in that it comprises a spraying device which is adapted to befolded upwardly and which comprises brushes and wipers, the sprayingdevice being adapted to spray the toilet seat with a cleaning anddisinfecting liquid and to clean the toilet seat with brushes and todrythe toilet seat by means of wipers. Preferably the arrangement issuch that the spraying device which is equipped with the brushes and thewipers forms a structural unit withthe toilet cover or lid and with thetoilet seat. This can be realized in a simple manner by connecting thespraying device which comprises the brushes andthe wipers to the toiletcover which is adapted to be folded upwardly. To avoid unnecessarypipes, it is suggested thata dosing device for admixingthedisinfectant'be likewise arranged on the toilet seat.

A further feature of the invention'consists in that the spraying devicewill automatically be turnedon in response to the closing of the toiletcover and will automatically be stopped after a pred'eterminablecleaning period.

To make sure that the cleaningand disinfecting liquid can flow off intothe toilet bowl, it is advisable to arrange the toilet seat on a lowersection-which can be folded upwardly and which forms a run-offpan. Theseparating gap between the toilet coverand this'lower section may inthis instance be sealed by means-0f a seal or by means of waterrepellent strips provided on the toilet seat and on the lower section sothat no clean ing liquid can escape toward the outside. The brushes andwipers are adapted during the cleaning operation to carry out acirculatory or a reciprocatory movement by means ofa cam shaped inconformity with the oval shape of the toilet seat, the brushes andwipers being held at a proper distance from the seat to be cleaned.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the presentinvention, the brushes and the wipers are connected to a driving discwhich is rotatably or pivotally mounted. In this connection it has beenfound advantageous to journal the wipers so as to be rotatable on ashaft and to provide the wipers with a plurality of wiper blades whichby means of a control mechanism acting upon the wipers are alternatelymoved into wiping position.

A further embodiment of the invention consists in that the brushes andthe wipers are roller-shaped and are subjected to a rotary movement bymeans of friction discs or gears rolling on the stationarily arrangedcam disc. The driving disc for driving the brushes and the wipers is inthis instance driven by a belt drive or the like which in its turn isdriven by a drive motor.

To permit an easy exchange of the mechanical parts of the cleaningdevice whenever desired, the driving disc equipped with the brushes andwipers is together with the cam disc and the drive motor connected to anexchangeable cover plate of the toilet cover or lid. This embodimentmakes it possible to provide the supporting flange for the cover platewith the passage for feeding the cleaning and disinfecting liquid. Theopen side of this passage or conduit is sealingly covered by the coverplate. The nozzles for spraying the cleaning and disinfecting liquidmay, with this embodiment of the invention, be formed onto the bottomside of the supporting flange for the cover plate.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof inparticular, according to the arrangement shown in these figures, thespraying device equipped with the brushes 7 and the wipers 8 is designedas toilet cover 2 adapted to be folded upwardly. The cover 2 is by hingemeans 6 connected to the toilet body 1 united with the toilet seat 4 andwith the lower section 5 forming a run-off pan so that the sprayingdevice together with the toilet seat 4 and the lower section 5 forms astructural unit. The toilet seat 4 and the lower section 5 are by meansof the hinge means 6 pivotally connected to the toilet cover 2 as shownin FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 so that they can be folded upwardly individually.The drive motor 19 for driving the brushes 7 and wipers 8 is togetherwith the dosing device 23 for admixing the disinfectant arranged on therear part of the toilet lid or cover 2. The brushes 7 and the wipers 8are driven by the drive motor 9 through the intervention of a belt drive18 or any other suitable driving element or power transmission element.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the brushes 7 and thewipers 8 are axially displaceably connected to'a driving disc 13 forminga pulley. Disc l3is adapted by means of the belt drive 18 to be drivenby the motor 19 and to be rotated. The brushes 7 are designed in theform of rollers and by means of a shaft 26 are rotatably journalled.During a cleaning operation, the brushes 7 are rotated by means of agear 24 which meshes with a gear ring 25 provided on the cam disc 11.The gear ring 25 is shaped in conformity with the oval shape of thetoilet seat 4 and is laterally surrounded by the gear 24.

Due to this design, the axially displaceable brushes 7 will always beheld at a proper distance from the seating surface of the toilet seat 4.The wipers 8 arranged on shaft 27 are likewise roller-shaped and areprovided with a plurality of wiper blades 17. The individual wiperblades will with each rotation be brought successively into wipingposition by means of a control wheel 28 and a control tooth 29. A roller34 which engages a groove 30 of cam disc 11 and which is connected toshaft 27 keeps the wipers properly spaced from the seating surface ofthe toilet seat 4 and makes them follow the oval contour of the seat.

As shown in FIG. 7, the cleaning device may, however, also be equippedwith rotating wipers 9. The roller-shaped brushes 7 and wipers 9 arerespectively provided with a shaft 16 each, these shafts being rotatablyjournalled on the driving disc 13 and also being axially displaceable onthe disc 13. Connected to the shafts 16 is a friction disc 14 which bymeans ofits groove 31 surrounds the elevated rim 32 of the cam disc 12.The elevated rim 32 of cam disc 12 is shaped in conformity with the ovalshape of the toilet seat 4 and establishes the proper distance of thebrushes 7 and the wipers 9 from the seating surface of the toilet seat4. The oval design of the cam disc 12 is particularly clearly shown inH0. 8.

In order to simplify the assembly of the cleaning apparatus and theexchange thereof, the drive motor 19, the driving disc 13 equipped withbrushes 7 and wipers 8, 9 and the cam disc 11, 12 are connected to thecover plate 3 of the two-sectional toilet seat 2. The cover plate 3rests in this instance on a supporting flange 21 which is provided witha passage or conduit 20 for feeding the cleaning and disinfectingliquids. The open side of passage 20 is covered by the cover plate 3 andis sealed by means of seals 33. The nozzles 22 for spraying the cleaningand disinfecting liquid are formed onto the bottom side of thesupporting flange 21. A seal connected to the bottom side of the toiletcover 2 prevents the cleaning and disinfecting liquid from passingtoward the outside through the separating gap between the toilet cover 2and the lower section 5 forming the run-off pan.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by nomeans, limited to the particular con struction shown in the drawings butalso comprises any modifications within the scope of the appendedclaims. Thus, instead of driving the cleaning apparatus by means of anelectric motor, also other driving devices, for instance driving devicesoperable by water or spring power, may be employed.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a toilet having a toilet body including a bowl, aseat and a lid pivotally connected to said toilet body and foldableselectively toward and away from said seat, a device for automaticallycleaning the toilet seat, which includes: a cleaning unit comprisingspraying means and brushes and wiping means and being foldable towardand away from said bowl, said cleaning unit being adapted to receivecleaning fluid and disinfectant and to spray the same onto the toiletseat, and actuating means operatively connected to said brushes andoperable to cause said brushes to clean said seat and wipe it dry, andguiding means operable to guide said brushesand wiping means along apath corresponding to the contour of said toilet seat to thereby holdsaid brushes and wiping means in the desired spaced relationship withregard to said toilet seat, said brushes and wiping means beingjournalled for rotation about their axes and for reciprocation alongtheir axes.

2. An' arrangement in combination according to claim 1, in which saidcleaning unit is connected to and foldable together with said lid.

3. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1', which includesdosing means for closing out the desired quantity of disinfectant, saiddosing means being arranged on said lid.

4. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, which includesmotor means operatively connected to said cleaning unit, and alsoincludes adjustable control means operatively connected to said motormeans for controlling the running period of said cleaning unit.

5. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, which includes arun-off pan interposed between said seat and said toilet body andfoldable toward and away from said toilet body.

6. An arrangement in combination according to claim 5, which includessealing means for sealing the gap between said toilet lid and saidrun-off pan in downwardly folded position of said lid which representsthe closing position of said lid.

7. An arrangement in combination according to claim 6, in which saidsealing means include water deflecting portions arranged on said lid andsaid run-off pan and leading into said bowl.

8. In combination with a toilet having a toilet body including a bowl, aseat and a lid pivotally connected to said toilet body and foldableselectively toward and away from said seat, a device for automaticallycleaning the toilet seat, which includes: a cleaning unit collectivelycomprising spraying means for dispering cleaning and disinfecting fluidand also comprising brushes and wiping means for drying thereof andcollectively being foldable toward and away from said bowl, saidcleaning unit being mounted on said lid forming a structured unit withthe seat collectively to be assembled with said toilet body and beingadapted to receive cleaning fluid and disinfectant and to spray the sameonto the toilet seat, and actuating means operatively connected to saidbrushes and operable to cause said brushes to clean said seat and wipeit dry.

9. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, which includesrotatable driving disc means having said brushes and wiping meansrotatably connected thereto.

10. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, which includespivotally mounted driving disc means having said brushes and wipingmeans rotatably connected'thereto.

11. In combination with a toilet having a toilet body including a bowl,a seat and a lid pivotally connected to said toilet body and foldableselectively toward and away from said seat, a device for automaticallycleaning the toilet seat, which includes: a cleaning unit comprisingspraying means and brushes and wiping means and being foldable towardand away from said bowl, said cleaning unit being adapted to receivecleaning fluid and disinfectant and to spray the same onto the toiletseat, and actuating means operatively connected to said brushes andoperable to cause said brushes to clean said seat and wipe it dry, thewiping means comprising radially extending wiper blades, and controlmeans provided which are operatively connected to said wiping means andare operable to move alternate wiper blades into their wiping position.

12. ln combination with a toilet having a toilet body including a bowl,a seat and a lid pivotally connected to said toilet body and foldableselectively toward and away from said seat, a device for automaticallycleaning the toilet seat, which includes: a cleaning unit comprisingspraying means and brushes and wiping means and being foldable towardand away from said bowl, said cleaning unit being adapted to receivecleaning fluid and disinfectant and to spray the same onto the toiletseat, and actuating means operatively connected to said brushes andoperable to cause said brushes to clean said seat and wipe it dry, saidbrushes and wiping means being roller-shaped, and wheel means and cammeans, said wheel means being rotatably connected to said brushes andwiping means being in guided arrangement with said cam means.

13. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, in which saidactuating means forms a driving disc, and which includes transmissionbelt means and a drive motor drivingly connected to said driving disc bymeans of said transmission belt means.

14. An arrangement in combination according to claim 13, in which saidtoilet lid includes a cover plate exchangeably arranged in said lid andhaving mounted thereon said motor and said wiping means and brushes anddriving means therefor.

15. In combination with a toilet having a toilet body including a bowl,a seat and a lid pivotally connected to said toilet body and foldableselectively toward and away from said seat, a device for automaticallycleaning the toilet seat, which includes: a cleaning unit comprisingspraying means and brushes and wiping means and being foldable towardand away from said bowl, said cleaning unit being adapted to receivecleaning fluid and disinfectant and to spray the same onto the toiletseat, and actuating means operatively connected to said brushes andoperable to cause said brushes to clean said seat and wipe it dry, saidactuating means forming a driving disc, transmission belt means and adrive motor drivingly connected to said driving disc by means of saidtransmission belt means, said toilet lid including a cover plateexchangeably arranged in said lid and having mounted thereon said motorand said wiping means and brushes and driving means therefor, said lidincluding flange means for supporting said cover plate, said flangemeans comprising passage means for feeding cleaning fluid anddisinfectant to said brushes and wiping means and being sealed towardthe outside by said flange means.

16. An arrangement in combination according to claim 15, in which saidcleaning unit includes nozzle means operable to spray cleaning fluid anddisinfectant toward the bottom side of said flange means.

1. In combination with a toilet having a toilet body including a bowl, aseat and a lid pivotally connected to said toilet body and foldableselectively toward and away from said seat, a device for automaticallycleaning the toilet seat, which includes: a cleaning unit comprisingspraying means and brushes and wiping means and being foldable towardand away from said bowl, said cleaning unit being adapted to receivecleaning fluid and disinfectant and to spray the same onto the toiletseat, and actuating means operatively connected to said brushes andoperable to cause said brushes to clean said seat and wipe it dry, andguiding means operable to guide said brushes and wiping means along apath corresponding to the contour of said toilet seat to thereby holdsaid brushes and wiping means in the desired spaced relationship withregard to said toilet seat, said brushes and wiping means beingjournalled for rotation about their axes and for reciprocation alongtheir axes.
 2. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, inwhich said cleaning unit is connected to and foldable together with saidlid.
 3. An arrangement in combination according to claim 1, whichincludes dosing means for dosing out the desired quantity ofdisinfectant, said dosing means being arranged on said lid.
 4. Anarrangement in combination according to claim 1, which includes motormeans operatively connected to said cleaning unit, and also includesadjustable control means operatively connected to said motor means forcontrolling thE running period of said cleaning unit.
 5. An arrangementin combination according to claim 1, which includes a run-off paninterposed between said seat and said toilet body and foldable towardand away from said toilet body.
 6. An arrangement in combinationaccording to claim 5, which includes sealing means for sealing the gapbetween said toilet lid and said run-off pan in downwardly foldedposition of said lid which represents the closing position of said lid.7. An arrangement in combination according to claim 6, in which saidsealing means include water deflecting portions arranged on said lid andsaid run-off pan and leading into said bowl.
 8. In combination with atoilet having a toilet body including a bowl, a seat and a lid pivotallyconnected to said toilet body and foldable selectively toward and awayfrom said seat, a device for automatically cleaning the toilet seat,which includes: a cleaning unit collectively comprising spraying meansfor dispering cleaning and disinfecting fluid and also comprisingbrushes and wiping means for drying thereof and collectively beingfoldable toward and away from said bowl, said cleaning unit beingmounted on said lid forming a structured unit with the seat collectivelyto be assembled with said toilet body and being adapted to receivecleaning fluid and disinfectant and to spray the same onto the toiletseat, and actuating means operatively connected to said brushes andoperable to cause said brushes to clean said seat and wipe it dry.
 9. Anarrangement in combination according to claim 1, which includesrotatable driving disc means having said brushes and wiping meansrotatably connected thereto.
 10. An arrangement in combination accordingto claim 1, which includes pivotally mounted driving disc means havingsaid brushes and wiping means rotatably connected thereto.
 11. Incombination with a toilet having a toilet body including a bowl, a seatand a lid pivotally connected to said toilet body and foldableselectively toward and away from said seat, a device for automaticallycleaning the toilet seat, which includes: a cleaning unit comprisingspraying means and brushes and wiping means and being foldable towardand away from said bowl, said cleaning unit being adapted to receivecleaning fluid and disinfectant and to spray the same onto the toiletseat, and actuating means operatively connected to said brushes andoperable to cause said brushes to clean said seat and wipe it dry, thewiping means comprising radially extending wiper blades, and controlmeans provided which are operatively connected to said wiping means andare operable to move alternate wiper blades into their wiping position.12. In combination with a toilet having a toilet body including a bowl,a seat and a lid pivotally connected to said toilet body and foldableselectively toward and away from said seat, a device for automaticallycleaning the toilet seat, which includes: a cleaning unit comprisingspraying means and brushes and wiping means and being foldable towardand away from said bowl, said cleaning unit being adapted to receivecleaning fluid and disinfectant and to spray the same onto the toiletseat, and actuating means operatively connected to said brushes andoperable to cause said brushes to clean said seat and wipe it dry, saidbrushes and wiping means being roller-shaped, and wheel means and cammeans, said wheel means being rotatably connected to said brushes andwiping means being in guided arrangement with said cam means.
 13. Anarrangement in combination according to claim 1, in which said actuatingmeans forms a driving disc, and which includes transmission belt meansand a drive motor drivingly connected to said driving disc by means ofsaid transmission belt means.
 14. An arrangement in combinationaccording to claim 13, in which said toilet lid includes a cover plateexchangeably arranged in said lid and having mounted thereon said motorand said wiping means and brushes and driving means therefor.
 15. IncoMbination with a toilet having a toilet body including a bowl, a seatand a lid pivotally connected to said toilet body and foldableselectively toward and away from said seat, a device for automaticallycleaning the toilet seat, which includes: a cleaning unit comprisingspraying means and brushes and wiping means and being foldable towardand away from said bowl, said cleaning unit being adapted to receivecleaning fluid and disinfectant and to spray the same onto the toiletseat, and actuating means operatively connected to said brushes andoperable to cause said brushes to clean said seat and wipe it dry, saidactuating means forming a driving disc, transmission belt means and adrive motor drivingly connected to said driving disc by means of saidtransmission belt means, said toilet lid including a cover plateexchangeably arranged in said lid and having mounted thereon said motorand said wiping means and brushes and driving means therefor, said lidincluding flange means for supporting said cover plate, said flangemeans comprising passage means for feeding cleaning fluid anddisinfectant to said brushes and wiping means and being sealed towardthe outside by said flange means.
 16. An arrangement in combinationaccording to claim 15, in which said cleaning unit includes nozzle meansoperable to spray cleaning fluid and disinfectant toward the bottom sideof said flange means.